Received acceptance from Penn State Behrend. What should I expect ?

Applying to College
1

Hello guys! I recently got accepted to Behrend’s CS program, and as a freshman I was wondering what it is like there ? I cannot visit as of yet because of financial reasons but I am looking to do so ASAP.
Also, I was wondering if the best option is to transfer to UP after 2 years ? What are the benefits and the disadvantages to that ?

Thanks in advance.

2

You mentioned in another thread that your family is low income and that you are a NY resident. Penn State tuition for out of state students is high even at branch campuses and financial aid is poor. You may get a Pell grant and a student loan, but that total will not be higher than $11,000 to 12,000. Tuition and room and board at Penn State Erie for out of state students is over $33,000. How will you pay the remaining $20,000+? You will do much better financially if you go to a CUNY or SUNY school, where you will qualify for instate tuition and probably a NY state grant (TAP).

3

If Erie is affordable (and I agree, as a NY resident, a SUNY will be cheaper):

  • Behrend will have smaller classes and is relatively cheaper; it’s relatively residential.
  • University Park has the prestige, recruitment, large campus, is less commuter and more residential (most students may live right by the university but they don’t go home at night or on weekends) but is more expensive
4

I am awaiting financial information ofc that will play the biggest role in my decision but I was wondering what it is like there in the first place.

5

@UniversityDreams I’m sorry, but I really don’t know much about the PSU Erie campus except that it is one of the largest and best of the branch campuses and has the highest percentage of students living on campus. I do know that none of the PSU campuses (main or branch) are affordable for our lower income family (and we are instate). You might want to post your question in the Penn State forum.

6

Understood, thank you very much.

7

@UniversityDreams: Have you gotten into any of the CUNY Colleges (CCNY, Hunter, Queens, Brookyn, etc.)? If your parents cannot contribute anything to your college education, that might be one of the few affordable options available. Hunter and CCNY for CS might not be the “safety” as you classify them to be in another thread:

CUNY Admission Profile: Freshman Fall 2015

The City College of New York
Mean GPA: 90.0
Mean SAT (CR + M): 1195
Mean ACT: 26

Hunter College
Mean GPA: 88.9
Mean SAT (CR + M): 1205
Mean ACT: 26

8

Brooklyn College has a well regarded CS department. Is that one of the colleges you applied to? Affordability is important, and NY state has many good, affordable universities. I don’t see how Penn State -Erie or UP, can be affordable to you at all. And I am not sure I even understand the appeal - unless you have a family situation you are trying to get away from.

A lot of students (even adults) really don’t understand how financial aid works. I think others have already given you details about that in your other threads. Also, your stats are not so high that you can simply dismiss the CUNY’s as safeties - as pointed above. You can qualify for additional grants in NY due to your low-income status, I think. (I live in NJ and so am not familiar with the exact details.)

9

@mathprof63 Yes I did apply there, submitted all the required documents. There decisions don’t come in till later so still waiting.

@Jamrock411 As a part of the Cuny application you get to apply to 6 Cuny schools, I applied to schools have lower requirements than hunter of ccny, such as John Jay. Cuny sends out decisions late and I am still waiting to hear back, I have submitted all documents so its all about patience now.

10

@UniversityDreams Thanks for the update! Let us know when you hear about the admissions.

11

@mathprof63 Definitely. So far NYIT has also accepted me and offered me a $14,000 merit scholarship. With the FAFSA calculator it states I can receive around 8k, also TAP will give me money since I am NYC resident. It helps that I can attend NYIT from home since it cuts down costs by a lot a lot. I sent them an email asking if they give need based scholarships, still waiting to hear back. Also, University at Buffalo let me know that I exceed their EOP standards and they are moving me to their regular pool. Don’t know if I will have a shot there, but hopefully they give me a chance.
I really want to attend Stonybrook but haven’t heard any thing from them yet.

NYIT seems like the most logical choice so far, looking forward to this program they are having where I get to experience a whole day as a NYIT CS major.

I will definitely update you, thank you for your interest.